Save You
by Setep Ka Tawy
Summary: In his last moments of consciousness following his defeat by Pegasus at Duelist Kingdom, Seto Kaiba reflects on his failure to save his little brother and the agony Pegasus has inflicted on them both. Mild language, rated T to be safe. Please review!


I was never really satisfied with the encounters between Pegasus and Kaiba in the anime of Duelist Kingdom, and I haven't had the good fortune to read that part of the manga yet. What bothered me in the anime was Seto's outward acceptance of the situaton - it seemed that a lot of the time he was just all talk and no action - and lack of emotion at times regarding Mokuba. And then there were the parts where the dialogue was just stupid, in my opinion. Maybe it's all me hallucinating, ha ha. But anyway, the following is me trying to spruce things up, so to speak. It's my first attempt at first-person Kaiba, so we'll have to see what people think.

Note: I _did_ change around quite a bit of the dialogue and action, or at least added to it. But some lines - especially by Pegasus - were just too entertaining to change.

Another Note: The title comes from the Simple Plan song, "Save You".

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.

* * *

**Save You**

"There are no more cards you can play. Therefore you lose, Kaiba-boy."

The voice is smooth, with almost practiced inflections, and yet at the same time it still grates painfully across my hearing. Everything about it is mocking - the words, the tone, the hint of a soft laugh lying just below clear audibility. And the worst and most obvious aspect is that I'm its sole victim.

I glare across the dueling field at my psychological tormentor, and my eyes catch the last vestiges of the holograms as they fade away into oblivion. The irony isn't lost on me - it's such a quiet, demure passing, signifying the termination of a game whose end result makes me want to scream. And a game, too, which had sustained me when nothing else could, which I had mastered through a driving refusal to fall, and which now had proved to be my undoing.

I can feel myself shaking as I drop my gaze. The remains of my once proud deck are strewn before me, silent ruins that reflect the decimation which Pegasus has wrought upon my being. I had fought my hardest, yet been humiliated all the same - and looking back I can see clearly now that Pegasus hadn't even tried.

His sardonic gaze is still fixed on me, waiting for a reaction. And he's not the only one. My eyes flicker briefly to the side, and I can see Yugi leaning over the balcony above me, along with the rest of his cheerleading squad. Something tightens in me at his expression - it's pitying, but I also detect a hint of something close to fear. A sensation of bitterness floods through me. He's not the one who was just fighting - why should he care? But I turn away, and as if on cue, Pegasus begins to speak again.

"And you've lost much more than just this duel, haven't you, Kaiba?" It's a rhetorical question, but one he decides to answer anyway, seemingly only for the chance of breaking me further. "You've lost the only chance you had of rescuing your baby brother." My hands and teeth clench in helpless rage, and his tone becomes almost gleeful as he continues. "You let him down...."

I can barely restrain myself from snatching up a card and sending it hurtling smoothly across the field, straight into his throat. I don't want to face the painful, bitter reality of my failure, but it's difficult to ignore due to Pegasus's unending taunts. As if to block him out, I close my eyes, and immediately my little brother's face shimmers into view. I can hear his voice echoing in my mind as well. "Seto," he says, pleading. "Big brother.... please help me...."

A growl of anguish shivers in my throat. Mokuba had believed in me, trusted me when I promised to save him - and now I had fallen short. It's as if Pegasus had been planning this from the beginning, always at least two steps ahead of me - first stealing my brother away, luring me in with the possibility of rescuing him.... letting me get so _damn_ close, then pulling him out of reach again.... offering a second chance to free him, and all the while knowing full well, somehow, that I would fail....

Ragged breaths fall from my lips, and there is an ache within my closed eyes, a pain from my struggle to hold back the emotion pulsing with swift foreboding through my body.

"Please forgive me, Mokuba," I find myself whispering, in desperate remorse. "I am so sorry...."

_The only sounds audible are the rasp of my breathing, the echo of my footfalls, and the jangle of the keys in my hand. For endless minutes of tension, I had been met with only dark stone walls, occasionally illuminated by sullen, spitting torches - but now, finally, I've reached my goal. Ahead, on the right, the wall is broken by a deep alcove, set with bars at its front - a cell. My stomach seems to tense, and I dash swiftly over, wondering, even dreading, what I'll find._

_I practically press myself against the bars, one hand clenched about the cylinder of cold metal. The area beyond is heavily shadowed; it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dimness. But then a gasp escapes me, quickly followed by a surge of hatred. My brother is huddled against the far wall, unmoving, chains ensnaring his ankles. But worst of all are his eyes - downcast, defeated, almost dead._

_"Mokuba," I call softly, unable to keep the strain from my voice. But in the pause that follows, there is no reply, not even a reaction._

_I curse Pegasus under my breath and crouch down, flipping through the various keys in my hand and trying each one in turn, my anxiety growing every time I fail to release the catch on the cell door. Finally, the grate of metal rewards my desperate efforts - the door swings inward. Rising, I rush inside and drop to my knees again beside Mokuba. The keys clatter to the floor._

_"Mokuba - Mokuba, it's me." Another vindictive oath hisses from my lips; my brother's face is bruised and wan. I can't help but wonder how long they've been keeping him like this. Gently, I take his shoulders in my hands, trying to rouse him from his misery._

_"Seto....?"_

_His voice is small, hoarse, almost numb, but in the dulled eyes that slowly lift I detect a spark of life. A moment later, his face is buried against my chest, his body shaking with relief._

_"I knew you'd come for me," he sobs, clutching at me. "I knew you wouldn't give up.... but.... I was so scared...."_

_I wrap my arms around him, one hand stroking his hair soothingly. "It's okay, kiddo," I murmur. "You're safe now, little brother.... I'm here for you...." But the sounds of his anguish still tear at me. I know it will be a long time before the horror of his experience fades._

_Then, from beyond my limited range of vision, comes another sound - the sound of someone bringing their hands together in slow, mocking applause._

_"Bravo, Kaiba, bravo. I knew nothing would stop you from getting here."_

_Mokuba lets out a muffled whimper, and I pull him closer as I turn my head. Standing there, almost smiling, is the man responsible for all of this. I find that now Mokuba isn't the only one who's shaking._

_"You bastard, Pegasus," I hiss, glaring over at him with pure hatred. But he remains unfazed._

_"Now, Kaiba, is that any way to speak to an old friend?" He laughs, with genuine amusement._

_"Do you have any idea what I'm going to do to you for harming my little brother?" There's an obvious tremor in my voice, denoting the depth of my anger._

_Pegasus spreads his hands, as if in innocence. "I assure you, Kaiba-boy, I haven't laid a finger on little Mokuba," he says lightly._

_"Don't give me that!" I snarl in reply. "Mokuba didn't get this way by just sitting here!"_

_"Well, I suppose it's possible that my guards handled him roughly when he was brought down here." His dismissive tone is somewhat chilling. "Don't worry, Kaiba - when we've concluded our business, I'll be sure to pay for all the damages."_

_"Damn right you will," I grit out. As I speak, I retrieve the keys and begin releasing my brother's chains. I half expect Pegasus to try to stop me me, but he only stands there, looking on and, I can tell, laughing silently. But part of me is past caring - all I want is to take Mokuba and get the hell out of here. However, there's a problem - even freed, my brother refuses to move. Clearly, he wants nothing more than to huddle within my arms and forget our surroundings. I can't explain this - Mokuba's always been such a strong kid, not one to break down even under abnormally stressful circumstances. But now.... I glance down, and it almost physically hurts to see him like this._

_Folding him close again, I throw another hate-filled look at Pegasus. "I should take you down right now for what you've done to Mokuba!"_

_"Don't be ridiculous, Kaiba-boy." His tone is laden with contemptuous amusement. "In my dungeon, in my castle, in my realm, the only person who makes threats - is me."_

_With the deliberate emphasis on the last word comes a seemingly sourceless, intense light that fills the cell. I drop my head, my eyes shut tightly but still struck blind. From somewhere far distant, a long cry echoes strangely._

_The light fades suddenly, but the fact doesn't register with me, because within my arms Mokuba's body has gone completely limp. Panic-stricken, I take his face in my hands and lift his head. The eyes that fail to meet mine are wide, staring, and totally blank. Fearfully, I put a hand to his neck, then exhale slowly. His pulse is slow, but regular - it's as if he's fallen asleep. _

_"Mokuba." I shake him lightly. "Mokuba!" But there's no response._

_I remain facing my brother as I speak. "Pegasus," I grate out savagely, "what the _hell_ have you done to my brother?!"_

_"It's just a little magic trick. But see for yourself, Kaiba-boy."_

_Still supporting Mokuba with my own body, I turn, and icicles of horror plunge full length into my mind as I see what Pegasus is holding._

_A card - with my brother's image on it._

_"What - have - you - done?" I whisper again._

_"I've ensured your cooperation," Pegasus replies impassively. "For you see, Mokuba's soul is now imprisoned within this card - far out of your reach, Seto Kaiba. No key you possess can unlock _this_ prison." Almost negligently, he flips the card between his fingers. "So lifelike," he murmurs, and then his voice turns cruel. "But then, you probably preferred him in the flesh...."_

_"You monster!" The only thing that keeps me from murder is Mokuba's weight resting against me._

_"Name-calling isn't going to rescue him, Kaiba." He holds up the card again, and agony twists inside me at Mokuba's pleading expression. "Here he is, your precious little brother - and here he will remain, until you beat me in a duel."_

_My eyes narrow in both surprise and suspicion at this ultimatum. It's the chance I've been waiting for, and yet it seems too obvious, too simple...._

_"What's the catch?" I ask finally, modulating my voice only with extreme difficulty._

_A faint smirk appears on Pegasus's face, as though he had been expecting the question. "The catch?" he repeats, with a little laugh that sets my teeth on edge. "Only this - that in order to earn the privilege of facing me, you must first defeat little Yugi. But that shouldn't be too hard for the world champion, eh, Kaiba?"_

_I catch my breath sharply. "Why that?" I throw back at him._

_Pegasus laughs again. "Because quite frankly, my dear Kaiba-boy, I enjoy watching you struggle. It's so amusing to see you wrestling with the humiliation of being defeated at your favorite game."_

_My breath hisses out in anger, but otherwise I remain silent. I can't think of anything to say; I know I'll just get shot down again._

_"So what will it be, Seto Kaiba?" Pegasus inquires lightly, after several moments' pause. "Do you care enough about your brother's life to try and save his soul? Not that you really have a choice.... his soul belongs to me now."_

_Involuntarily, my face contorts in a mask of fury. "You're not - human!" I breathe jerkily, once again shaking._

_"Quite human, actually, just extraordinarily gifted." With a deliberate, knowing look at me, he slips Mokuba's card into his pocket. I feel myself twitch. Then Pegasus withdraws his hand again, flicking it outward to release a shower of small golden objects, which are scattered across the floor beside me. I glance down, confused. Five metal stars...?_

_"Here, Kaiba. You'll need these for your duel with Yugi." It seems to be as much of an explanation as I'm going to get. I raise my eyes again, frustrated._

_"Why are you doing this?" I demand._

_"My reasons are none of your concern. Apart from enjoying the hostilities you seem determined to nurture between yourself and Yugi-boy, there's something I want - something you're incapable of comprehending - and you'll eventually end up delivering it to me.... one way or another."_

_I hate how patronizing he sounds. "Talk straight!" I snarl. "What do you want?"_

_"Want?" Pegasus spreads his hands disarmingly. "I want to see if you're capable of defeating little Yugi in a duel. And only if you successfully crush him a humiliating defeat will you have the opportunity to duel me. Then, if you win, I promise to restore your brother's soul."_

_In the pause that follows, I reflect on how easy he makes it all sound. Which means that either he's got something else up his sleeve, or he's deliberately mocking me by not offering much of a challenge. But he has me backed into a corner - we both know I can't refuse if I want to save Mokuba._

_My hand strokes my brother's hair as I reply, with soft fury, "For now, I have no choice but to play your game. But soon, as soon as I defeat Yugi, I'll be back." My eyes snap up dangerously as I continue. "And then you'd better make good on your promise, Pegasus, or I'll take great pleasure in separating your soul from your body in my own way!"_

_Pegasus merely laughs, as though he knows my threats are groundless. But I do my best to ignore his disdain. Lifting Mokuba gently in my arms, I rise to my feet, trying not to think about the hard knot inside me as I feel my brother's dead weight._

_Standing there, I glare expectantly at Pegasus; and when he doesn't take the hint, I clarify with a single word - "Move."_

_"I'm really afraid I can't, Kaiba-boy."_

_My patience is wearing thin. "Why the hell not?" I snap._

_He casts a pointed, amused glance at Mokuba. "I'll have to insist that your brother remain here."_

_A chill runs through me. "No way. I'm not leaving Mokuba here with you - not after what you've done."_

_"Then his soul remains where it is. It could be very difficult to restore without a vessel to hold it. Wouldn't you agree, Kaiba-boy?"_

_I can't believe this is happening. "You bastard," I whisper, keenly aware of Mokuba's warm weight._

_Pegasus smiles ingratiatingly, but his voice is like a whip. "Put him back, Kaiba."_

_My entire body trembles at his cruelty, and for a moment I struggle between obedience and murder. But to indulge my rage is to condemn my brother - and it's that thought that makes me sink to the floor again and tenderly rest him against the wall. Still, I hate myself for giving in. My hand brushes lingeringly across his cheek, and I swear viciously under my breath._

_Pegasus seems to be enjoying himself, and apparently he doesn't want to relinquish the entertainment too soon, because he continues casually, "And we really ought to make sure little Mokuba doesn't hurt himself if he happens to wake up and tries to escape."_

_I don't need to ask what he's telling me to do. Weighed down by anguish and humiliation, my hands shake visibly as they snap the manacles back into place around my brother's ankles. I feel as though my own soul is bleeding in place of Mokuba's._

_"Very good, Kaiba-boy," Pegasus congratulates me, as I force myself to lock the chains again. He steps back into the corridor, smirking. "Now come out here and close the door."_

_Trembling with suppressed wrath, I follow him out, but the harsh sound of the cell door closing behind me severs my self control. Violently, I hurl the keys to the floor at his feet._

_"Go to hell, Pegasus!"_

_With a smooth sort of laugh, he retrieves the keys, strolls past me, and completes what I couldn't bring myself to finish. I keep my eyes trained on the wall, staring at the torch set there until spots whirl in front of my vision, not trusting myself to stay in control if I turn and look at Pegasus. And even though I refuse to glance back, the sound of Mokuba's imprisonment makes me flinch all the same._

_For a moment, there is silence. Then -_

_"I'll leave the lights on for you, shall I?"_

_I swear loudly at Pegasus, but his footsteps are already fading away down the corridor behind me, leaving me virtually alone in the bowels of his castle._

_Exhaling shakily, I turn slowly back to the cell. After staring at the torch for so long, I can barely make out Mokuba's prone form, slumped lifelessly in the shadows, far out of my reach. My hands seem to slam against the bars of their own accord, clenching into fists around the cold metal. Hopelessly, I sink to my knees, my head bowed in anguish; and then I begin to weep._

_"Please forgive me, Mokuba. I am so sorry...."_

Once again, it is the voice of Pegasus that rouses me from the flashes of memory that are equal to something out of a nightmare. His tone is filled with suppressed laughter, but now there's something else there as well - a threat, a foreboding of what is to come.

"But not to worry, my dear friend," I hear him say easily, as though he expects to soothe my pain. "I shall spare you the agony of carrying on in this world without your brother."

Unwillingly, my eyes slowly open and I drag my head upward. "What do you mean?" I say, feeling something clench inside me. But I hardly have to ask. Once more, Pegasus holds a card in his hand - only this time, it's blank.

_So this is it. _For once, I feel paralyzed. Now, after everything I've gone through, I finally realize - it's over.

"Remember our agreement, Kaiba-boy. You lost this duel - so now it's time for you to join little Mokuba as my captive."

Indistinctly, I hear someone - probably Yugi - cry out in protest. _It's no use, Yugi,_ I find myself thinking, almost sadly, even though he can't hear me. _I couldn't beat him - and you won't be able to either._ But even with this logical resignation, I can't accept what has happened. Tears loom again, but once more I push them back.

And suddenly, there's that light again, blinding me to all but the figure of Pegasus, this time accompanied by the sound of rushing wind. And behind it all -

"Welcome to the _final_ fate of your soul, Seto Kaiba!"

_Mokuba...._

White pain envelopes me - I can hear myself screaming - and then -

Darkness.

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Hope everyone enjoyed it! I know I certainly enjoyed writing it. Please try to review! May the Force be with you.


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